Luc Besson’s sequel to the highly popular and critically beloved ‘Taken’ (2008) premiered Friday, October 5, 2012. It features the same gruff main character, Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) except this time he is rescuing his wife, Lenore (Famke Janssen) with the help of his teenage daughter Kim (Maggie Grace). However, sadly, ‘Taken 2’ joins the pantheon of disappointing sequels with titles like ‘Mission Impossible II’ (2000), ‘Batman and Robin’ (1997), and ‘Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance’ (2012). It suffers from lifeless dialogue, little to no characterization, lousy fight choreography, and dull chase sequences.

Mild spoilers ahead.

This time around, Bryan Mills and his family are living their lives as normal. Kim is trying to get her driver’s license and has a new boyfriend, much to Bryan’s chagrin. Lenore has separated from her husband Stuart, so she and her daughter are having a rough time when Stuart cancels the trip they had planned on taking for months. Bryan offers to let them come with him to Istanbul for a few days and the girls surprise him by showing up.

Meanwhile, the relatives of the Albanian sex traffickers Bryan killed in the first film have come together to seek revenge on Bryan. They torture Jean Claude, a French policeman Bryan knew, for information and find out he’s in Istanbul with his family. They plan to kidnap the entire family, bring them back to Albania, and kill them in retribution for their dead family members.

Bryan and Lenore go out into the city and the Albanians follow them. Bryan quickly catches on and instructs Lenore to leave while he leads them away. However, the men catch up with both of them so Bryan calls Kim and tells her to return to his hotel room and hide from the other men coming for her. The Albanians take Bryan and Lenore hostage and explain that they both will be tortured and killed for revenge.

Kim manages to hide from the Albanians and Bryan calls again. This time, Kim insists that she can help find them and free them so Bryan reluctantly agrees to tell her how to find them. From there, it is a race to find them before the Albanians can find her.

‘Taken’ has gained a massive following of fans because of its sharp dialogue, excellent fight scenes, realistic situations, and infinitely cool chase sequences. Everything about Bryan’s journey felt immediate and hit home with audiences because of the characterization of Bryan Mills as a devoted father.

The sequel did not deliver on any of the things that make the first movie so fantastic. It fumbles with every single element it is given and suffers from a massive lack of creativity.

First, the dialogue is forgettable, weak, and does not enhance anything. In the first film, the relationship between Bryan, Kim, and Lenore is established well. The writing for ‘Taken 2’ does not follow through on developing these characters over the course of their ordeal. The worst casualties are Lenore and Kim, who both are nothing more than cringing burdens for Bryan to lug around as he does all the work.

Second, the characterization for the women in this film is borderline insulting. Kim is at least given a couple of scenes to toughen up but she still cries and screams like a child and it is not a good representation for girls. Lenore is unconscious for half of the film and when she is awake, all she does is cry. She is never given a moment to take control of the situation or even take a shot at her kidnappers. This is especially insulting considering Famke Janssen is known most for her role as Jean Grey in the X-Men films—who was an intelligent force of nature as well as a beautiful yet troubled woman. Janssen’s presence here is a waste and it is sad to see as a result.

Third, the bad guys in the first film were at least competent. In the sequel, they are all shiftless morons with delusions of being a threat. Only one of them manages to present a legitimate threat to Bryan and his wrath. Even then, the fight scene is about two minutes long at best. It is disappointing because the villains in the first film were dangerous and Bryan nearly dies several times before he gets to his daughter. Here, Bryan is clearly a better fighter and shooter than every single man he faces. Thus, there is little to no tension over the course of the film.

Fourth, the lack of creativity is astounding. There are no surprises to be had at all, from fight scenes to dialogue to the ending. The script is littered with tired clichés and misuses its wonderful actors over and over. Liam Neeson’s stellar performance during his speech to Kim’s kidnapper in the first film is what made ‘Taken’ such a sleeper hit. In ‘Taken 2′, he says nothing of interest in the entire movie and it is hard to believe since Neeson is by far one of the most charismatic actors working today.

‘Taken 2’ simply misunderstands the purpose of a sequel. Sequels are supposed to enhance what has already been given to the audience. It is supposed to build on the relationships established earlier, create new problems and new solutions, and put the characters through fresh trials to prove their worth. Do yourself a favor and just watch the first one instead.

Grade: 2/5

The article ‘Taken 2′ Disappoints in Every Way: A Review appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Like its illustrious predecessor, ‘Taken 2’ highlights non-stop, high-octane action. But the realities of shooting in that exciting but challenging environment meant the filmmakers had to think fast to keep the action going. In Istanbul and other locations, fight coordinator Alain Figlarz worked closely that Liam Neeson and director Olivier Megaton, who cast Figlarz in a key role. “It was good to have a real fighter be a character in the movie,” says the director. “And it was a huge thing for Liam, to act opposite the same guy who was coordinating the onscreen battles.”

Figlarz pioneered the close combat fighting techniques that marked ‘The Bourne Identity’, and for ‘Taken 2’ he employed variations – and even more extreme versions – of that style. Megaton continues: “Alain is an original. He’s so precise and sharp. There is always logic to his action. He was in the Special Forces, so he knows these moves from experience.”

One of the most memorable non-combat action sequences in the film is a car chase through the streets of Istanbul, with learner-driver Kim behind the wheel. She’s terrified, understandably so, at the prospect of outrunning her pursuers on some of the most densely-trafficked streets in the world.

Another propulsive action sequence sees a character dashing across the roof of the Grand Bazaar. Shooting atop this landmark was both a coup and a logistical challenge. “There are only four different concrete lines on the roof we were able to step on,” explains Megaton. “And you can’t deviate because it’s too fragile. No crane could be installed and we could only go forwards or backwards with a Steadicam, because going to the side is too far.” Even fixing the camera onto cables would have been impossible, as it would have meant attaching the wires to mosques and other buildings that have stood for hundreds of years. Megaton’s solution was ingeniously simple: he had a camera mounted onto a small toy helicopter and flew it around the actor to get the shots.

Says Neeson: “With the action, Olivier is phenomenally efficient and proficient with his camera. There would always be three or four cameras working, and that’s exciting.”

But as comfortable as Megaton clearly is with action, he’s equally adept at capturing real, human emotion. Says Neeson: “When there were dialogue scenes between Famke (Janssen), Maggie (Grace) and myself, we didn’t analyze things too much; Olivier just let us explore it.”

The article ‘Taken 2′: Action Sequence Taken to the Next Level appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

For the actors and filmmakers of the new installment of ‘Taken’, ‘Taken 2’, the decision to return for a sequel was not taken lightly. ‘Taken’ had captured something special, and everyone was determined to find a fresh angle on Bryan Mills’s tale. “When I read Luc and Robert’s script,” Director Olivier Megaton explains, “I found the openings to do something new. It’s not just another Bryan Mills story; it’s about family and a father determined to save it.”

“The writers were really wonderful in how they approached the new story,” says Maggie Grace. “It retains all the elements that worked so well in ‘Taken’, and then expands upon them. Bryan, Kim and Lenore are fighting to survive – and for each other.”

Much of the action in ‘Taken 2’ unfolds in Istanbul, a locale rarely seen on screen. Megaton spent much of his prep time scouting locations and walking around the city for hours at a time. When principal photography commenced, he knew Istanbul’s streets and passageways better than some of the local crew.

Liam Neeson says shooting in Istanbul was like nothing he has experienced. “Istanbul is where east meets west – a beautiful city full of wonderful people,” notes the actor, who has filmed on locations around the globe but remains most impressed with Istanbul’s singular sights and sounds.

Everywhere the crew members turned, they were faced with a landmark. Key locales included the front of the Süleymaniye Mosque, one of the city’s grandest buildings; the Grand Bazaar, a 15th Century Istanbul landmark that takes up an entire city block and welcomes more than a quarter of a million visitors every day; and a traditional hamam, or Turkish bath, home to the film’s explosive finale.

Director of photography Romain Lacourbas, enhanced the vivid palette of these stunning locations. “You could almost touch the light and it would change hue,” says Neeson. “And there are shots where you see the whole city laid out in front of you.” Adds Maggie Grace: “Being given carte blanche to see behind the scenes of this incredible city, you can literally feel its history.”

The article ‘Taken 2′ Takes Brian Mills to Istanbul appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

‘Taken 2’, in cinemas on October 5, picks up two years after the events of ‘Taken’. Bryan’s relationship with his daughter Kim has grown stronger, and he hopes to reunite with ex-wife Lenore. “Even before he encounters the new threat to his family, Bryan is on a mission to get closer to Kim and Lenore,” says director Olivier Megaton.

Kim was a passive victim in the first film, but in ‘Taken 2’ it’s clear the interim two years have changed her. Under the tutelage of her father, she’s developed some of his instincts and is much better equipped to cope with the crisis that develops during their family reunion in Istanbul. “She’s her father’s daughter, and she’s finding out what she’s capable of,” says Maggie Grace. “In the first film, Kim was young and naive and didn’t know much about the real world,” adds Megaton. “But something incredible happened to her, and she reconstructed herself. She has matured. She doesn’t want to be passive again.”

Lenore, too, is changing. After Kim’s kidnapping and Lenore’s separation from her new husband, it seems there may be a chance for Bryan and Lenore to reconcile. “Their connection has suddenly become very strong because Lenore has been going through a hard time,” explains Liam Neeson. “Bryan is a shoulder for her to lean on, and the relationship grows from there.”

Lenore, like her daughter, has matured since the events of the first film. “Lenore wasn’t very likable in ‘Taken’,” Megaton points out. “She was always well-dressed, always perfect, but we tried to give her a bit more humanity in this one.”

Famke Janssen agrees that Lenore didn’t come off especially well in the first film. “I can’t tell you how many people have come up to me and said, ‘You were such a bitch in ‘Taken’!’ But in this movie, because Lenore is herself in danger, you care for her. So it made sense for me to soften her up a little and make her more likable.”

With Neeson, Janssen and Grace returning for ‘Taken 2’, there remained the challenge of casting the film’s new villain, Murad. Acclaimed character actor Rade Sherbedgia takes on the role, which Megaton promises is “a far cry from your typical bad guy. Murad is pursuing Bryan for a big and very fair reason, which is that he wants his justice for his son, who died at Bryan’s hand.”

Unlike most movie villains, Murad desires neither power nor money, and he possesses no special training. “Murad is not a criminal by profession,” says Sherbedgia. “He is not a warrior. But he has made it his mission to extract justice from Bryan.”

Megaton looked at a number of actors for the role, and selected Sherbedgia after the actor sent some trial footage he shot himself. “While watching Rade’s footage, I was suddenly dropped into the reality of Murad’s situation,” the director enthuses. “And Rade adds so much to the movie, because he’s a father, too. Liam is a father protecting his daughter and Rade is a father avenging his son.”

Bryan’s encounters with Murad are memorable, and Neeson is particularly fond of his character’s final battle with the Balkan baddie. “Bryan, at this stage of his journey, is genuinely sick of killing,” says Neeson. “He has physically become a machine when he gets into the mindset of taking out these bad guys. I think his big worry is that the machine may take over from the human being. For the sake of his daughter, his ex-wife and his own soul, he wants to stop.”

The article Taken 2: Returning Cast Meets Rade Sherbedgia appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

On October 5, Liam Neeson returns as Bryan Mills, the retired CIA agent who stopped at nothing to save his abducted daughter in ‘Taken’. When he is targeted by a mysterious figure seeking vengeance, Bryan must employ his “particular set of skills” to protect his family against an army out to kill them.

From acclaimed filmmaker Luc Besson (who co-scripted and produces ‘Taken 2’), co-screenwriter Robert Mark Kamen (who has penned both ‘Taken’ films with Besson), and director Olivier Megaton (‘Columbiana’, ‘Transporter 3’), ‘Taken 2’ follows the global success of ‘Taken’, released in 2008, which earned $224 million at the box office. Audiences cheered Neeson as Bryan Mills, an overprotective father whose skills – forged through years of covert ops – were put to the test long after his retirement from the CIA. Resolute in his quest to rescue his daughter after she was kidnapped in a plush Paris apartment, Bryan’s journey in ‘Taken’ was instantly understandable to any parent.

Bryan’s warning, addressed to the men who had taken his daughter, and his subsequent making good on the promise contained within, captured the imaginations of audiences around the world and made ‘Taken’ one of the most successful and relatable action thrillers of recent years. “The situation Bryan finds himself in is something any of us can relate to,” says Neeson. “If your child was threatened, you’d do anything to right that wrong.”

“‘Taken’ hit a nerve with people,” agrees Famke Janssen, who plays Lenore. “I think it was the notion that if something happens to a family member, what would you do? How far would you be willing to go?  Audiences really identified with Bryan Mills.”

The role of Bryan was a notable departure for Neeson. Before ‘Taken’, he had been celebrated for his work in dramatic fare, like the Oscar®-nominated ‘Schindler’s List’. ‘Taken’, a full-throttle action-thriller, was more than just an assignment for Neeson; it fulfilled his childhood ambitions. “The film appealed to the young person in me,” he laughs. “It was a chance to be in Paris for three months and to do fight training, and I love all that physical stuff. It was a great release.”

For Neeson, returning to the character of Bryan Mills in ‘Taken 2’ meant drawing on the experience gleaned from roles in action films subsequent – and largely due – to his work in ‘Taken’. “When I acted in [the summer 2010 film] ‘The A-Team’ I met a military weapons expert who is still operational,” he says. “He was a big guy who, while we were shooting, would disappear for four days and come back with a stomach wound, and you knew he’d been on a mission in Iraq or Afghanistan.”

The undisclosed consultant told stories about real field operations – the kind Bryan would have engaged in during his time at the CIA – that had a profound effect on the actor. “I mean, forget James Bond; this is the real deal. And he’s still doing it. He was a great source to draw on.”

Neeson confesses that he enjoys the physicality of the role. “It’s great to do that stuff, and we have a terrific stunt team,” he enthuses. “I have a wonderful stunt double, Mark Vanselow, who’s my buddy, and he’s been in my life, professionally, for 12 or 13 years. He does all the hard stuff!   Returning to Bryan was a chance to get with Mark again and do all the fight training.”

The article Liam Neeson Returns in ‘Taken 2′ appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Liam Neeson has come to South Korea for the first time. The famous Hollywood star arrived at the Incheon International Airport at 11am, September 15 by his chartered airplane. His visit is intended to promote his latest movie ‘Taken 2.’

When Liam Neeson showed up at the airport, he looked tired because of a long flight. He was dressed in a khaki shirt and a jumper, holding a newspaper in his hand. Liam, surrounded by his minders, waved his hand to reporters and moved to his hotel to take a rest.

An Irish actor, Liam Neeson was born in June 7, 1952. He has been nominated for an Oscar, a British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) award, and three Golden Globe Awards. He has starred in a number of notable roles, including Oskar Schindler in Schindler’s List, Ra’s al Ghul in Batman Begins and The Dark Knight Rises, Daniel in Love Actually, and Bryan Mills in Taken.

He is loved by people worldwide for his a courteous and generous image and notable acting. He is scheduled to attend an interview with the foreign press, including Asian press on September 16. On September 17, Liam is planning to attend an official press interview to meet Korean fans and the red carpet premium event held at the iPark shopping mall in Yongsan, Seoul.

‘Taken 2′ is a sequel to ‘Taken,’ released in 2008. Taken is an action thriller that attracted a lot of fans worldwide. Taken 2 casts exactly the same actors and actresses, aimed at entertaining fans, just like Taken did four years ago. The movie is about the revenge of human trafficker who kidnapped Bryan’s daughter Kim (Maggie Grace) in the previous movie. This time, the human trafficker kidnaps Brian’s wife (Famke Beumer) to take revenge on Brian.

The Korean audiences especially expect to see Liam Neeson’s immaculate performance.

A 26-year-old student Jung Ah-rum, who visited the airport to see Liam Neeson, said, “His acting is amazing, I really enjoyed all of his movies. I believe he will show another incredible performance again. I’m counting on him.”

“I saw many movies that he was in, but Taken was my favorite. I’m so excited to see his acting as Brian again,” office worker Kim Min-jung told the reporter.

Taken 2 is scheduled to be released on September 27, and South Korea will be the first place where the movie opens.

The article Liam Neeson Visits Korea to Promote ‘Taken 2′ appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

When filmmakers Stephen St. Leger and James Mather met producer Luc Besson, they had already written two features and wanted to direct a wisecracking action movie. The maker of ‘The Fifth Element’ had the perfect project for them: 500 of the world’s most dangerous criminals are locked up in a prison in space and maintained in a state of stasis. “Suddenly, the inmates wake up,” recounts producer Leila Smith.

“Rioting breaks out in the prison and a guy is sent up there to restore order.” The two Irish directors enthusiastically accepted EuropaCorp’s proposal and met regularly with Luc Besson to work on the script. “The two boys met with Luc for 2-3 hours at a time to put together the structure of the movie with the main narrative blocks and the elements of plot that needed to be integrated,” comments producer Marc Libert.

“Back in Ireland, St. Leger and Mather wrote the dialogue, even taking liberties with the structure to express their style. After the first draft, the second took us another four-five months. Luc’s reaction to it was very positive.”

Leila Smith in particular appreciated the close collaboration between EuropaCorp and the two directors, whose willingness to communicate she emphasizes: “There were no great debates between Luc and the guys. Their script meetings functioned a bit like a master class. Luc gave them explanations about various scenes and advised them not to develop others because he sensed they’d be cut in editing.”

Luc Besson’s directorial experience proved crucial. Leila Smith adds, “When the directors disagreed with Luc, he just said to them, ‘Convince me.’ They defended the choices they had made and the coherence of the development of characters they really cared about. Most often, Luc was happy to be convinced.”

While ‘Lockout’ is first and foremost a futuristic thriller, the film has its comic moments. It’s a difficult balance to achieve, as Stephen St. Leger explains, because comedy is a very subjective genre, “Everybody has their own conception of humor. A scene that’s meant to be funny has a good chance of falling flat on its face.

For me, the master is Billy Wilder— deadpan humor that never becomes heavy-handed or a gag for the sake of a gag. You sense that he’s never trying to be funny at all costs. We tried to take a leaf out of his book.” Similarly, the director is happy to accept the movie’s 1980s dimension: I love the ‘Die Hard’ series or ‘Romancing the Stone’ and it shows in the humor in this film.”

For the two directors, the characters were a central preoccupation. They didn’t make things easy for themselves by making the hero so cynical and dispassionate that he can be hard to like at first. But he is very funny with a great line in deadpan humor. “He reminds me of the characters played by William Holden in Billy Wilder’s movies,” agrees Stephen St. Leger.

“A sarcastic guy with a scathing sense of humor. The relationship between Emilie and Snow brings to mind Bogart and Hepburn in ‘African Queen’. In other words, two polar opposites who are forced to get along.”

At first, the character of Emilie seems like a naïve, privileged young woman who may be concerned about other people but has actually had to stand up for them. The directors ensured that she evolved in the course of the movie. “Gradually, she becomes her own woman and shows real strength of character,” comments Stephen St. Leger.

Leila Smith adds, “being around Snow changes her, even physically. Her way of speaking changes, she loses her prejudices and becomes spunkier.” The directors also made sure the character of Snow’s appreciation of her developed. “While Snow thinks that most people are weak and can’t defend themselves,” explains Stephen St. Leger, “he realizes that Emilie is not like them when she fights back and refuses to cut him loose.”

Image Courtesy of Featureflash / Shutterstock.com

The article Luc Besson Mentors Two Young Irish Filmmakers appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

MS One is an experimental prison in space where the 500 most dangerous criminals on planet Earth are kept in an artificial sleep. Leading a humanitarian mission, the daughter of the US president, Emilie Warnock (Maggie Grace) arrives on board the station, just as an unprecedentedly violent mutiny breaks out. Emilie and the crew of MS One are taken hostage by the inmates. President Warnock decides to send Agent Snow (Guy Pearce) to MS One with the sole mission of saving Emilie and nobody else..

Production Company (PC): How early did you get involved in the project?

Guy Pearce (GP): I met with Luc Besson at the beginning of 2010 in LA to discuss the film and then met with Stephen St. Leger and James Mather a few months later. I thought the script felt original which is always what I’m looking for. I liked the idea of playing an irreverent character like Snow. I was drawn to him because he’s not the typical action hero. He exhibited a lazy and exhausted quality, which I thought was quite funny!

PC: How did you prepare for the shoot?

GP: Physically it was just about getting back into some old routines of weight training and gaining weight. I’ve always been fairly active so it wasn’t that much of a challenge. The greatest challenge always is just being convincing.

PC: Is it more complicated for an actor when there are two directors?

GP: Stephen was mainly dealing with character and James with camera and the visuals so it wasn’t so weird. That’s not to say they didn’t cross over. There were occasional times when they contradicted each other which was odd but that’s happened before between directors and DPs too, so it’s nothing a bit of discussion couldn’t sort out.

PC: Did the directors leave you any leeway?
GP: Definitely. Most people learn pretty quickly I need to do things my way if they want a convincing performance. We read through most of the scenes for a week or so beforehand just to iron out a few things, but didn’t really rehearse as such.

PC: Was it a particularly challenging shoot?

GP: Relatively challenging from a physical point of view and we did long days, but not necessarily difficult. I did manage to injure myself each week somehow or other. Being in Serbia was fascinating. It’s always good to see a part of the world that’s unfamiliar.

PC: What was it like working opposite Maggie Grace?
GP: Maggie was fabulous. She was a lot of fun and we had a great time together. It’s always nice to bond with someone during a shoot, and Maggie and I helped each other out a lot

PC: What appealed to you in the script?

Maggie Grace (MG): When I first read the script, I kept laughing out loud. I loved it immediately. It reminded me of films I loved back when action movies were really funny. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, it has a sense of fun and it’s irreverent, and it has some great one-liners. I was excited about it. I was like, When do we shoot it?

PC: How would you describe your character?

MG: Emilie Warnock is the American president’s daughter. She’s been raised in a fairly sheltered, regimented sort of vacuum. She has a lot of stepping up to the plate to do in this film. I think it’s Snow’s irreverence that pushes her buttons.

Gradually, we realize that she can’t really do anything by the book, and she’s following a man for lack of better options, but really from his attitude, he might just as well be one of the escaped psychotic criminals. I didn’t really research real presidents’ daughters, but I actually have a lot of admiration for the way Chelsea Clinton or Laura Bush have handled themselves.

PC: What’s Emilie’s relationship with Snow?

MG: Snow is a little bit of an antihero. He’s very snide and insincere, ironic and caustic. I like him. The relationship that develops with Emilie Warnock is that kind of tit-for-tat, give-as-good-as-you-get tension, but unexpectedly, they make a good team.

PC: How did the physical training go?

MG: I love masculine energy. Growing up, my best friends were always guys and I like having big brothers around. So I find that combat training is a really good surrounding. I do a little extra combat training so I can show off my bloody knuckles.

PC: Does working with two filmmakers affect the way the actors are directed?

MG: James Mather and Stephen St. Leger have been a team for so long and they have a shorthand that is practically telepathic. You’re never getting different direction from two sides. Maybe, if they’re ironing something out on the fly, they know each other so well, there’s just a kind of look and suddenly they’re in a unified party line.

Image Courtesy of    Lockout

The article Conversation with Guy Pearce, Maggie Grace from ‘Lockout’ appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

“We took some time over the choice of the actor to play Snow,” recalls producer Marc Libert, “until the directors and Luc met with Guy Pearce, who was shooting “Mildred Pierce” and was very slim.

James and Steve were worried because Snow is such a physical character. Guy told us that he had been an Australian bodybuilding champ at the age of 16 and that his body would be in prime condition when we started shooting.” The actor kept the producers informed of his progress as he bulked up and he arrived on set looking very muscular compared to the lithe characters he is best known for. “In 2-3 months, he put on fifty pounds,” comments Marc Libert.

Everybody agrees on Guy Pearce’s discipline and organization. “He arrived on set with a file,” continues Libert. “He’d been working on his character’s curve, had underlined particular scenes in the script and had even studied the development of the characters Snow interacts with.” Producer Leila Smith adds, “Jokingly, we told him that he could have saved us the salary of the script supervisor because he was on top of absolutely every detail.” In fact, before he became an actor, Guy Pearce worked in continuity. “Guy was very committed, but with the aim of improving scenes, not stealing them,” comments Marc Libert.

As for Maggie Grace, Leila Smith says, “She’s a wonderful actress to work with. Her attitude is very professional and she is very open to suggestions.” Marc Libert adds, “She sometimes needs to withdraw into her own world with her iPod for a few minutes to focus, but when she’s in front of the camera, she is fully committed from the very first take.” Leila Smith points out, “She didn’t complain when we asked her to fly in three weeks before the shoot started to practice on the wires and rehearse certain scenes. Maggie and Guy were there as soon as their previous commitments had been fulfilled.”

All that remained was to find an actor for one of the hardest parts to cast: Hydell. A real loose canon, Hydell is frustrated at taking orders from his big brother all the time. With his dead eye that didn’t survive the reversal of the cryogenic process, he cuts a terrifying figure. Leila Smith says, “Joe Gilgun, who plays Hydell, comes from one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Manchester.

He’s had a crazy life and got into a lot of trouble when he was a kid. He’s suffered and developed an amazing artistic sensitivity.” Director Stephen St. Leger remarks, “I asked Joe to adopt a Scottish accent because I find it imbued with humor whereas the Manchester accent is a trademark of the Gallagher brothers!”

When Gilgun met Vincent Regan, who plays his brother Alex, the two actors discussed their characters and developed aspects that were subliminal in the script only to emerge in the movie. “The relationship between the two brothers really took shape,” says Marc Libert. “They explored the question and met up regularly off set to take their characters forward.”

Leila Smith notes, “Like most British actors, Vincent immediately knew where to stand in relation to the light. With one glance at the set-up as he came in, he knew where he had to be for the camera.  This film literally comes from out of space,” concludes Leila Smith, “not the Hollywood mainstream.

Personally, I enjoy working on debut features because the constraints generate wonderful energy. The budget meant we had to make the most judicious choices possible. Innovation and creativity were at a premium. There was no time for fighting because everybody rolled up their sleeves to help the directors.”

Image Courtesy of    Lockout

The article Guy Pearce Bulk Up for ‘Lockout’ appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

The amazing understanding between the directors James Mather and Stephen St. Leger during the filming of new ‘Lockout’, was particularly useful in the sophisticated action scenes that combined stunts, combats, wire-work and complicated lighting. “The great thing with James is that we’ve known each other and worked together so long that we have a kind of sixth sense,” says Stephen St. Leger.

“We hardly need to talk to each other on set, especially because we have everything planned and mapped out, and we both love getting involved in every aspect of filmmaking, not just writing and directing. James is incredible. He’s always thinking four or five scenes ahead.”

Their method proved its worth in the spectacular magnetic field scene. Producer Marc Libert explains, “Part of the set had been built and looked like a climbing wall. The duct that takes Snow to the edge of the precipice was quite simply the inside of an old helicopter that the production designer had spotted in an aircraft graveyard. The rest of the set, including the giant rotor blade was green screen that was reworked in post.”

The actors were hanging by wires while James Mather found himself in a cherry picker bucket filming the fight between Guy Pearce and an inmate. “The scene was supervised by Patrick Cauderlier, the king of wires,” adds Marc Libert. He controlled their movements with extreme precision using his special machine, the hydrowinch. The challenge was to use visual effects to lend a realistic aspect and block out the wires”

The previsualization enabled James Mather to work out his lighting plans for each set well in advance. He insisted on using authentic light sources, which offer more freedom when shooting. “It’s also what confers an authentic atmosphere on the movie,” adds Stephen St. Leger. If you use only green screen, there’s a sterile aspect that clashes with the visual style.”

For the combat scenes, the directors absolutely didn’t want to take their inspiration from Asian martial arts movies, but looked to the more realistic approach of films such as ‘Taken’. The producers called on chief stuntman Patrick Cauderlier and fight choreographer Hugo Bariller. “Patrick was the right man for the job because a lot of scenes required wires, and he’s an absolute specialist,” says producer Leila Smith. Among the scenes where his expertise was required are the fight in mid-air, the freefall down to Earth and the motorbike stopping just in front of the subway train.

Made-to-measure visual effects

While picture editing and grading took place in France, the visual effects were produced in Ireland by Windmillane. “We set up a mini visual effects studio with them, hired machines and a big warehouse in an industrial park in Dublin,” recounts Leila Smith. “Then we bought software and recruited freelance technicians.”

Marc Libert adds, “We were very pleased to work with them because back in the day it was U2′s recording studio. The boss is still the same guy, even though the company has grown considerably, moving into film production and post-production. Actually, Steve St. Leger was a camera operator on some of U2′s videos. In Dublin, everybody knows everybody else.”

In all, there are roughly five hundred shots that required visual effects, which took some time for reasons of visual coherence. The visual effects supervisor wanted to work with a small crew better suited to his way of working. “The production times were long,” comments Marc Libert, “but as there were four or five standout scenes to be done, it was better that the same person supervised the modeling, compositing and rendering from beginning to end, rather than dividing the work up.”

Image Courtesy of    Lockout

The article ‘Lockout’ 2012: Two Directors, One Vision appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Once the script was finalized for the new outer space action-packed ‘Lockout’, the directors James Mather and Stephen St. Leger suggested to their mentor Luc Besson that they “previsualize” the whole movie in the form of a storyboard and animated modeling of the sets, including M.S. One, of course, and costumes. Luc Besson immediately agreed.

Even though the directors later deviated from the previsualization, it captures the desired visual atmosphere and testifies to the humor in the film. “With a very precise idea of the end result to hand,” notes Stephen St. Leger, we were able to strike the right balance between thriller and comedy because it would be very easy for the film to fall into parody or, on the other hand, take itself too seriously.”

Previsualization also offered a tool for the heads of department to picture the most complex action scenes and stunts to respond to the directors’ wishes. It was especially useful considering that the technicians were of diverse origins (British, Irish, French, Serbian). The power of the images transcended the language barrier.

In all, around fifteen people, including the directors, four story boarders and 3D graphic artists, worked on the previsualization for four months before the actors added their dialogue. “As a result,” says producer Leila Smith, “we had a kind of animated model of the final movie with all the key scenes, such as the freefall to earth and the motorbike chase.”

An optimized budget

Although the film was initiated and produced by EuropaCorp in France, it was shot in Serbia with English-speaking actors, while benefitting from Ireland’s tax incentives. Although the two directors are from Dublin, it was difficult to envision hiring sound stages there. “Dublin’s studios are excellent facilities but very expensive and we needed at least 1,000-1,500 square meters.

We had a decent budget, but it’s the directors’ debut feature and we constantly had to make trade-offs.” Eventually, it was decided that the shoot would take place in brand new studios in Belgrade, Serbia. Even so, in view of the many visual effects, EuropaCorp decided to entrust post-production to a specialized company in Dublin. This also enabled the movie to claim Ireland’s tax credit.

There was a further focus on budgets through set recycling. Several sets combined physical constructions and green screen, such as the clover-shaped LOPD with space and the Earth in the background, and the expressway where the motorcycle chase takes place. “For that scene, which involved a circular tracking shot,” recounts Leila Smith, “we resorted to using a system of hydraulic pistons to be able to move in every possible direction.” The sets aboard M.S.

One included the secure area where the character of Snow sticks a syringe into Emilie’s eye, the infirmary where they find several corpses and the general population area of the prison. The parts of the sets that the actors touched, such as the pillars in general population, were built and installed in front of a green screen in order to complete the picture in post-production.

Like a giant Lego pieces, the sets were systematically recycled. As a result, the shooting schedule worked around the availability of the sets. “Every day,” recalls Leila Smith, “the production designer checked with the directors, first assistant and us to be sure that any given scene was in the can, so that within a few days the set could be dismantled. While they were building another set, we switched to another studio.”

The film benefitted from the creativity of production designer Romek Delimata, who often found ingenious and unexpected solutions. Various locations in Belgrade, such as subway corridors and the dark alley reminiscent of ‘Blade Runner’, came into play.

The scene in the Oval Office of the White House was shot in an Amstel brewery in the suburbs of Belgrade. Producer Marc Libert says, “Romek is a geek, heavily influenced by ‘Star Wars’, who spent his time scribbling on photos of locations to sketch out the changes that needed to be made. That way, out of almost nothing, he obtained spectacular results.”

Image Courtesy of    Lockout

The article Visualizing and Budgeting: Key Production Tools for ‘Lockout’ appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

After discovering Pierre Morel (‘Taken’), Alexandre Aja (‘Haute Tension’) and Louis Leterrier (‘The Transporter’), Luc Besson and EuropaCorp now produce the first futuristic thriller directed by James Mather and Stephen St. Leger, two Irish filmmakers whose sci-fi short ‘Prey Alone’ was an internet sensation bringing the directors acclaim for their mastery of green screen techniques. It’s hardly surprising then, for EuropaCorp to remain faithful to its tradition and commiting to ‘Lockout’

Starring Guy Pearce (‘Memento’, ‘Prometheus’) and Maggie Grace (‘Taken’, ‘The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn’) and set in the near future, Lockout follows a falsely convicted ex-government agent (Pearce), whose one chance at obtaining freedom lies in the dangerous mission of rescuing the President’s daughter (Grace) from rioting convicts at an outer space maximum-security prison. Lockout was directed by Stephen St. Leger and James Mather from their script, co-written with Luc Besson, who is also a producer. Peter Stormare co-stars.

Two Dublin boys

James Mather and Stephen St. Leger met at film school in Dublin and started working as a team. In the last twenty years, they have shot numerous commercials and shorts. “Generally, James is behind the camera and I direct,” says Stephen St Leger. Producer Marc Libert explains, “James is responsible for the photography and lighting while Steve takes care of the writing and editing.”

The directorial duo soon became experts in use of the green screen, obtaining spectacular results for their short films. It was their 15-minute short, ‘Prey Alone’, which convinced EuropaCorp. “We were all very impressed,” says Libert. “It shows a fighter plane chasing a car into a tunnel. It’s astonishing that they shot it on a shoestring budget of 60,000 euros from the Irish government.” Producer Leila Smith adds, “after we saw it, we showed a DVD to Luc, who insisted on meeting the directors.”

“I’m a fan of lots of Luc’s films, such as ‘Le Grand Bleu’ and ‘Subway’, says St. Leger. “And there are several shots in ‘Prey Alone’ that are close to ‘The Professional’. Maybe Luc was receptive to the themes of our short or the fact that we oversaw all the special effects ourselves.” The M.S. ONE adventure could begin.

Image Courtesy of    Lockout

The article Setting the Stage for Futuristic ‘Lockout’ appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.